Vanilla & Pecan Yule Log
Vanilla & Pecan Yule Log
The perfect centre-piece this holiday – this vanilla & pecan yule log is an amazing combination of flavours and textures. It takes a few days to prepare but can be stored in the freezer ahead of time then defrosted when needed.
The star of this yule log is a light mascarpone mousse around the outside, with an airy texture and rich with vanilla. It’s then filled with a sweet but salty pecan praline, vanilla cremeux, soft chocolate sponge and feuilletine crunch.
It is the type of recipe that is *slightly* difficult to scale down so there is a little excess of ingredients (the sponge will be bigger than you need!) but as all yule log molds are different, it is worth having a little extra. You can always spread some of the extra ingredients onto the leftover chocolate sponge and roll it up into a mini swiss roll!
Ingredients
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/355 Non-fan assisted. Spread the pecans onto a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes then set aside to cool completely.
Add the water & sugar to a small saucepan, and place it on a medium heat. Cook until it reaches 114C/237F on a digital thermometer.
Immediately add in the roasted pecans, along with the whole vanilla pod, split lengthways.
Continue to stir the mixture - initially the sugar will seize and go very dry, simply continue stirring until it eventually turns to a deep golden caramel. It should take 2-4 minutes.
Spread the hot caramelised pecans onto a silicon mat and sprinkle with a good pinch of flakey salt. I think pecan praline needs more salt compared to hazelnut praline, so I go quite heavy on the salt. But more salt can also be added later.
After 30 minutes, the praline should have set firm. Break it up and add it into a very high powdered food processor. Blend until you have a smooth praline, scraping down the sides as needed. Pour the mixture into a container and set to one side at room temperature.
Prepare the vanilla cremeux as per the recipe.
Once you have blended it, spread it onto a large baking tray and spread it thin. Cover the surface with cling film and refrigerate for two hours. This will set it up much faster!
Note - this recipe will make more than you need as you only need 1 strip for the fill of the yule log. So you can use some of the leftover mascarpone cream and spread this onto the sponge, rolling it into a mini yule log!
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/356F Non-Fan Assisted.
Into a small bow, sift together the cocoa powder and plain flour and set to one side. Add the milk and oil into a small bowl and set this to one side too.
Into the bowl of a stand mixer (or you can do this by hand), add the egg yolks and 20g of sugar. Whisk this on a medium speed until you have a thick paste that holds a ribbon. Set this to one side.
Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and whisk on a medium-low speed. Once the mixture is frothy, increase the speed to medium and slowly add 60g of sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Whisk until you have a medium-stiff peak to the meringue.
Pour the egg yolk mixture on top of the meringue and gently fold it through using a spatula until well combined.
Next, sift in the plain flour & cocoa powder, and fold it in carefully until it is fully incorporated.
Finally, pour in the vegetable oil and whole milk. Use a spatula to fold this in, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl otherwise, it won't incorporate fully.
Pour the batter onto a silicon sponge roll mat (alternatively, lightly grease a 39cm x 27cm tray and line it with parchment paper). Use a spatula and spread the batter out evenly.
Bake the sponge for 12 minutes then allow it to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature before placing it in the freezer until ready to use (this will just make it easier to cut later)
Into a bowl, add the pecan praline and milk chocolate. Place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and stir until the chocolate has completely melted.
Remove it from the heat and stir in the crushed-up feuilletine. If you don't have feuilletine just use crushed-up cornflakes!
Set this mixture to one side at room temperature.
Note - each silicon yule log mold should come with an insert (mine did not annoyingly!) - that is, a smaller mold included in the package that can be used for the fillings. If it doesn't you can make-shift one yourself either using rectangular tart rings or a lined loaf tin.
Remove the chilled vanilla cremeux from the fridge, and scoop it into a bowl. Briefly whisk it by hand just until it holds a soft/medium peak.
Pipe this into the base of your yule log insert.
Next, add some pecan praline to a piping bag and pipe a thin zigzag of praline into the centre of the vanilla cremeux. Remember that because praline is so high in fat, it doesn't freeze solid, so you need to make sure the cremeux is on the base of your insert mold so that it creates a solid/frozen base that you can actually get out of the mold!! I tried praline on the base, but it didn't freeze so it was a mess!!
Use a sharp knife to cut a long strip of the chocolate sponge so that it fits snuggly into your mold. Press it firmly against the cremeux/praline so that it is 'glued' down. Then place a few tablespoons of the feuilletine praline crunch on top and spread it into a nice thin, even layer.
Place the entire insert in the freezer for a minimum of 6 hours or until frozen solid (ideally overnight)
Add the milk, beans from the vanilla pods and glucose (or honey) to a small saucepan and place it over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the glucose has completely dissolved and the mixture is steaming.
Into a jug add the chopped white chocolate.
Pour the hot milk over the white chocolate and then use a hand blender to blend it to combine.
Add in the mascarpone and 145g of double/heavy cream and blend again until smooth and there are no lumps of mascarpone. Refrigerate this mixture overnight.
The next day, whisk this mixture on a stand mixer until it holds a medium soft peak. It will take a few minutes
Add the remaining 115g of double/heavy cream into a stand mixer and whisk to a medium-soft peak, then fold this through the other mixture in three parts until you have a smooth mascarpone mousse.
Take the large silicon yule mold and pour the mascarpone mousse into the mold, filling it up about 2/3 of the way. (Remember we have enough mousse for 2 yule logs)
Remove the frozen insert from the freezer and press this into the mascarpone mousse.
Smooth the top with more mascarpone mousse if needed then place the entire yule log in the freezer overnight.
Into a small dish, add the powdered gelatin and cold water. Stir this together and set it to one side to bloom for 10 minutes.
Into a small saucepan, add the cream and beans from the vanilla pod. Meanwhile, add the chopped white chocolate to a tall jug.
Stir the cream until it is steaming, and then immediately pour it over the white chocolate. Scoop in the bloomed gelatin, then blend the mixture with a hand blender until smooth.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the yule log from the freezer and lift it out of the silicon mold, placing it onto your serving plate.
Add the whipped ganache to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to a medium peak. Then add it into a piping bag fitted with a Petal Nozzle (#127).
Pipe zig-zag lines all over the top of the yule log in a random flowing pattern over the top.
It then needs to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving to defrost. It can also be stored in the fridge once you have piped, it, then let it slowly defrost in there!
Ingredients
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/355 Non-fan assisted. Spread the pecans onto a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes then set aside to cool completely.
Add the water & sugar to a small saucepan, and place it on a medium heat. Cook until it reaches 114C/237F on a digital thermometer.
Immediately add in the roasted pecans, along with the whole vanilla pod, split lengthways.
Continue to stir the mixture - initially the sugar will seize and go very dry, simply continue stirring until it eventually turns to a deep golden caramel. It should take 2-4 minutes.
Spread the hot caramelised pecans onto a silicon mat and sprinkle with a good pinch of flakey salt. I think pecan praline needs more salt compared to hazelnut praline, so I go quite heavy on the salt. But more salt can also be added later.
After 30 minutes, the praline should have set firm. Break it up and add it into a very high powdered food processor. Blend until you have a smooth praline, scraping down the sides as needed. Pour the mixture into a container and set to one side at room temperature.
Prepare the vanilla cremeux as per the recipe.
Once you have blended it, spread it onto a large baking tray and spread it thin. Cover the surface with cling film and refrigerate for two hours. This will set it up much faster!
Note - this recipe will make more than you need as you only need 1 strip for the fill of the yule log. So you can use some of the leftover mascarpone cream and spread this onto the sponge, rolling it into a mini yule log!
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/356F Non-Fan Assisted.
Into a small bow, sift together the cocoa powder and plain flour and set to one side. Add the milk and oil into a small bowl and set this to one side too.
Into the bowl of a stand mixer (or you can do this by hand), add the egg yolks and 20g of sugar. Whisk this on a medium speed until you have a thick paste that holds a ribbon. Set this to one side.
Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and whisk on a medium-low speed. Once the mixture is frothy, increase the speed to medium and slowly add 60g of sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Whisk until you have a medium-stiff peak to the meringue.
Pour the egg yolk mixture on top of the meringue and gently fold it through using a spatula until well combined.
Next, sift in the plain flour & cocoa powder, and fold it in carefully until it is fully incorporated.
Finally, pour in the vegetable oil and whole milk. Use a spatula to fold this in, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl otherwise, it won't incorporate fully.
Pour the batter onto a silicon sponge roll mat (alternatively, lightly grease a 39cm x 27cm tray and line it with parchment paper). Use a spatula and spread the batter out evenly.
Bake the sponge for 12 minutes then allow it to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature before placing it in the freezer until ready to use (this will just make it easier to cut later)
Into a bowl, add the pecan praline and milk chocolate. Place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and stir until the chocolate has completely melted.
Remove it from the heat and stir in the crushed-up feuilletine. If you don't have feuilletine just use crushed-up cornflakes!
Set this mixture to one side at room temperature.
Note - each silicon yule log mold should come with an insert (mine did not annoyingly!) - that is, a smaller mold included in the package that can be used for the fillings. If it doesn't you can make-shift one yourself either using rectangular tart rings or a lined loaf tin.
Remove the chilled vanilla cremeux from the fridge, and scoop it into a bowl. Briefly whisk it by hand just until it holds a soft/medium peak.
Pipe this into the base of your yule log insert.
Next, add some pecan praline to a piping bag and pipe a thin zigzag of praline into the centre of the vanilla cremeux. Remember that because praline is so high in fat, it doesn't freeze solid, so you need to make sure the cremeux is on the base of your insert mold so that it creates a solid/frozen base that you can actually get out of the mold!! I tried praline on the base, but it didn't freeze so it was a mess!!
Use a sharp knife to cut a long strip of the chocolate sponge so that it fits snuggly into your mold. Press it firmly against the cremeux/praline so that it is 'glued' down. Then place a few tablespoons of the feuilletine praline crunch on top and spread it into a nice thin, even layer.
Place the entire insert in the freezer for a minimum of 6 hours or until frozen solid (ideally overnight)
Add the milk, beans from the vanilla pods and glucose (or honey) to a small saucepan and place it over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the glucose has completely dissolved and the mixture is steaming.
Into a jug add the chopped white chocolate.
Pour the hot milk over the white chocolate and then use a hand blender to blend it to combine.
Add in the mascarpone and 145g of double/heavy cream and blend again until smooth and there are no lumps of mascarpone. Refrigerate this mixture overnight.
The next day, whisk this mixture on a stand mixer until it holds a medium soft peak. It will take a few minutes
Add the remaining 115g of double/heavy cream into a stand mixer and whisk to a medium-soft peak, then fold this through the other mixture in three parts until you have a smooth mascarpone mousse.
Take the large silicon yule mold and pour the mascarpone mousse into the mold, filling it up about 2/3 of the way. (Remember we have enough mousse for 2 yule logs)
Remove the frozen insert from the freezer and press this into the mascarpone mousse.
Smooth the top with more mascarpone mousse if needed then place the entire yule log in the freezer overnight.
Into a small dish, add the powdered gelatin and cold water. Stir this together and set it to one side to bloom for 10 minutes.
Into a small saucepan, add the cream and beans from the vanilla pod. Meanwhile, add the chopped white chocolate to a tall jug.
Stir the cream until it is steaming, and then immediately pour it over the white chocolate. Scoop in the bloomed gelatin, then blend the mixture with a hand blender until smooth.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the yule log from the freezer and lift it out of the silicon mold, placing it onto your serving plate.
Add the whipped ganache to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to a medium peak. Then add it into a piping bag fitted with a Petal Nozzle (#127).
Pipe zig-zag lines all over the top of the yule log in a random flowing pattern over the top.
It then needs to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving to defrost. It can also be stored in the fridge once you have piped, it, then let it slowly defrost in there!
Hi Matt,
Can you plz tell the fat % of white and milk chocolates you use? I think it’s pretty important when making ganaches/ mousses.
Thank you very much for your incredible recipes! 🙂
milk chocolate is 33%, White is 28%
And just one more query 🙂 what is the percentage of cream – is it 33-35 or 40%? Thank you!
Double cream here is about 48%, but 36% whipping cream should be fine too!!
Hi Matt. My mold also did not come with an insert. You mention using a loaf pan … are there further instructions? Trying to figure out how to do the inside without an insert. Thanks!
Hi! If you have a small loaf tin, like 1lb loaf tin you can line it with cling film or acetate. And then use that for the insert. Freeze it in the tin, then lift it straight out with the clingfilm!